bibliography of theories of taste
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Bibliography of 18Bibliography of 18thth century theories of taste century theories of tasteBibliography of 18Bibliography of 18thth century theories of taste century theories of taste
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The Century of Taste - BibliographyThe Century of Taste - Bibliography
• Longinus Peri Hypsus. Traité du Sublime et du Merveilleux dans le Discours traduit du Grec du Longin, 1674.
• John Locke. An essay concerning human understanding, 1706.
• Anthony, Earl of Shaftesbury. Characteristics of men, manners, opinions, times, 1711.
• Francis Hutcheson. Francis Hutcheson. An Inquiry into the Original of An Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Beauty and Virtueour Ideas of Beauty and Virtue, 1725., 1725.
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The Century of Taste - BibliographyThe Century of Taste - Bibliography
• David Hume. A treatise on Human Nature, 1739.
• William Hogarth. The Analysis of Beauty, 1753.
• David Hume. David Hume. Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste, 1757., 1757.
• Edmund Burke. Edmund Burke. A Philosophical Enquiry into the A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and BeautifulOrigin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, , 2nd edition, 1759.2nd edition, 1759.
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The Century of Taste - BibliographyThe Century of Taste - Bibliography
• Alexander Gerard. Essay on Taste, 1759.
• Archibald Alison. Essays on the Nature and Principles of Taste, 1790.
• Uvedale Price, Essays on the Picturesque, 1794.
• Sir Richard Payne Knight, The Landscape. A Didactic Poem, 1794.
The Century of TasteThe Century of Taste
Francis HutchesonFrancis HutchesonDavid HumeDavid HumeEdmund BurkeEdmund Burke
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Francis HutchesonFrancis Hutcheson
(1694-1746)(1694-1746)
An Inquiry into the Original of our An Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Beauty and VirtueIdeas of Beauty and Virtue
(1725)(1725)
Francis HutchesonFrancis Hutcheson
(1694-1746)(1694-1746)
An Inquiry into the Original of our An Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Beauty and VirtueIdeas of Beauty and Virtue
(1725)(1725)
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An Inquiry into the Original of our An Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Virtue and BeautyIdeas of Virtue and Beauty
- simple ideas vs. complex ideas- The only Pleasure of Sense, which our Philosophers seem to
consider, is that which accompanys the simple Ideas of
Sensation: But there are vastly greater Pleasures in those
complex Ideas of Objects, which obtain the Names of Beautiful,
Regular, Harmonious. Thus every one acknowledges he is more
delighted with a fine Face, a just Picture, than with the View of
any one Colour, were it as strong and lively as possible; [...]. So
in Music, the Pleasure of fine Composition is incomparably
greater than that of any Note, how sweet, full or swelling soever.
(7)
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An Inquiry into the Original of our An Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Virtue and BeautyIdeas of Virtue and Beauty
internal sense (of beauty)
- beauty does not lie in the object itself but in a
perceiving mind
- gives pleasure
- pleasure is felt immediately
- independent of will
- independent of knowledge
- independent of advantage or usefulness
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An Inquiry into the Original of our An Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Virtue and BeautyIdeas of Virtue and Beauty
- the beauty of theorems
- people might be able to see but receive relatively little
pleasure out of beautiful sights
- men of genius own a finer taste, have a better developed internal sense
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An Inquiry into the Original of our An Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Virtue and BeautyIdeas of Virtue and Beauty
Let every one here consider, how different we must suppose the Perception to be,
with which a Poet is transported upon the Prospect of any of those Objects of
natural Beauty, which ravish us even in his Description; from that cold lifeless
Conception which we imagine in a dull Critick, or one of the Virtuosi, without what
we call a fine Taste. This latter Class of Men may have greater Perfection in that
Knowledge, which is deriv´d from external Sensation; they can tell all the specifick
Differences of Trees, Herbs, Minerals, Metals; they know the Form of every Leaf,
Stalk, Root, Flower, and Seed of all the Species, about which the Poet is often
very ignorant: And yet the Poet shall have a vastly more delightful Perception of
the Whole; and not only the Poet but any man of fine Taste. (9-10)
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- neg. associations can keep people from seeing the
beauty of certain objects
- common taste, universal agreement
- internal sense universal
An Inquiry into the Original of our An Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Virtue and BeautyIdeas of Virtue and Beauty
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• uniformity amidst variety
• deformity is “the absence of beauty, or deficiency in the beauty expected in any species”
An Inquiry into the Original of our An Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Virtue and BeautyIdeas of Virtue and Beauty
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An Inquiry into the Original of our An Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Virtue and BeautyIdeas of Virtue and Beauty“If we descend to the minuter Works of Nature, what vast Uniformity
among all the Species of Plants and Vegetables in the manner of their
Growth and Propagation! [...] In the almost infinite Multitude of Leaves,
Fruit, Seed, Flowers of any one Species, we often see an exact
Uniformity in the Structure and Situation of the smallest Fibres. This is
the Beauty which charms an ingenious Botanist. Nay, what vast
Uniformity and Regularity of Figure is found in each particular Plant,
Leaf, or Flower! In all Trees and most of the smaller Plants, the Stalks
or Trunks are either Cylinders nearly, or regular Prisms; the Branches
similar to their several Trunks, arising at nearly regular Distances,
when no Accidents retard their natural Growth [...].” (22-23)
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David HumeDavid Hume
(1711-1776)(1711-1776)
Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste
(1757)(1757)
David HumeDavid Hume
(1711-1776)(1711-1776)
Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste
(1757)(1757)
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Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste
“The great variety of Taste, as well as of opinion, which prevails in the world, is too obvious not to have fallen under every one's observation.”
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Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste
“The great variety of Taste, as well as of opinion, which prevails in the world, is too obvious not to have fallen under every one's observation.”
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Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste
“It is natural for us to seek a Standard of Taste; a rule,
by which the various sentiments of men may be reconciled;
at least, a decision afforded, confirming one sentiment,
and condemning another.”
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Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste
“It is natural for us to seek a Standard of Taste; a rule,
by which the various sentiments of men may be reconciled;
at least, a decision afforded, confirming one sentiment,
and condemning another.”
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• sentiment = emotions
• sentiment about an object is in everyone of us
Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste
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Concept of Hume‘s theoryConcept of Hume‘s theory
good critics
beauties & blemishes
standard of taste
agree on
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Good critics IGood critics I
“Strong sense, united to delicate sentiment, improved
by practice, perfected by comparison, and cleared of
all prejudice, can alone entitle critics to this valuable
character; [...]“
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Good critics IIGood critics II
• practice• comparison• no prejudice
strong sense/ judgement delicate sentiment
valuable character of a good critic
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Good critics IIIGood critics III
How will I recognize a good critic?
“Though men of delicate taste be rare, they are easily to
be distinguished in society by the soundness of their
understanding, and the superiority of their faculties
above the rest of mankind.”
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good critics
beauties & blemishes
agree on
Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste
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Beauties & blemishes IBeauties & blemishes I
• belong entirely to the sentiment
they are feelings
• but: sentiment linked to “certain qualities in objects“
objective judgement
universal agreement
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Beauties & blemishes IIBeauties & blemishes II
• good critics agree on some of them
• examples of possible beauties:– force of expression– harmony– luster of colours– exactness of imitation ...
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beauties & blemishes
standard of taste
Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste
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Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste
• standard of taste = agreed beauties
not specified by Hume
• objects can consist of various beauties and also of blemishes
• for an object to be beautiful the beauties have to predominate
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good critics
beauties & blemishes
standard of taste
agree on
Of the Standard of TasteOf the Standard of Taste
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What are the different values of What are the different values of common sentimentcommon sentiment
in the philosophical works of Hutcheson and Hume in the philosophical works of Hutcheson and Hume
and what are their implications ?and what are their implications ?
Brief summaryBrief summary
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How is beauty perceived according to How is beauty perceived according to Hutcheson?Hutcheson?
According to Hutcheson common sentiment is...
• the proof of the universal sense of beauty.
• triggered by a single principle of beauty
• caused by uniformity amidst variety, which is sufficient to
explain the beauty of an aesthetic object. (causal)
• tantamount to positive judgement!
Hume‘s relativism contradicts each of the assumptions above!
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How is beauty perceived according to How is beauty perceived according to Hume?Hume?
According to Hume common sentiment is...
• subjective („it is fruitless to dispute concerning taste“)
• no proof of a universal sense of beauty.
• often general but not necessarily universal
• guided by a plurality of value characteristics. (contributive)
• not tantamount to positive judgement!
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How is beauty perceived according to How is beauty perceived according to Hume?Hume?
„„The difference, it is said, is very The difference, it is said, is very
wide between judgement and wide between judgement and
sentiment!“sentiment!“
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How to find common agreement?How to find common agreement?
David Hume‘s prerequisites of judgement:David Hume‘s prerequisites of judgement:
• objectivity
• the joint verdict of good critics
• experience and practice
• comparison
• reason (reflected explanations)
• agreement based on established standards
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Relative ranking of instances of Relative ranking of instances of judgementjudgement
The following diagram illustrates three differences:
1. The relative ranking of instances of judgement according to
Hume.
2. The low rank of common sentiment for Hume as opposed to
Hutcheson‘s absolute basis of common sentiment.
3. The difference between sentiment and judgement according to
Hume.
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Relative ranking of David Hume‘s Relative ranking of David Hume‘s instances of judgement:instances of judgement:
I Verdict of posterityVerdict of posterity
II Joint verdict of true criticsJoint verdict of true critics
III Standard of TasteStandard of Taste
IV Common sentiment of Common sentiment of human naturehuman nature
Deg
r ee
of
no
rma t
ive
forc
e
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Relative ranking of David Hume‘s Relative ranking of David Hume‘s instances of judgement:instances of judgement:
Common sentiment of Common sentiment of human naturehuman nature
IV
Standard of TasteStandard of TasteIII
Joint verdict of true criticsJoint verdict of true criticsII
Verdict of posterityVerdict of posterityI
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Relative ranking of David Hume‘s Relative ranking of David Hume‘s instances of judgement:instances of judgement:
• subjective and unjustified sentiments.subjective and unjustified sentiments.
• general principles of approbation and blame.general principles of approbation and blame.
IV
Standard of TasteStandard of TasteIII
Joint verdict of true criticsJoint verdict of true criticsII
Verdict of posterityVerdict of posterityI
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Relative ranking of David Hume‘s Relative ranking of David Hume‘s instances of judgement:instances of judgement:
Common sentiment of Common sentiment of human naturehuman nature
IV
Standard of TasteStandard of TasteIII
Joint verdict of true criticsJoint verdict of true criticsII
Verdict of posterityVerdict of posterityI
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Relative ranking of David Hume‘s Relative ranking of David Hume‘s instances of judgement:instances of judgement:
Common sentiment of Common sentiment of human naturehuman nature
IV
• Established principles and models.Established principles and models.
• Universal beauties and blemishesUniversal beauties and blemishes
III
Joint verdict of true criticsJoint verdict of true criticsII
Verdict of posterityVerdict of posterityI
„„it is impossible men could ever agree in it is impossible men could ever agree in
their sentiments and judgements, unless their sentiments and judgements, unless
they chose some common point they chose some common point
of view, from which they might survey of view, from which they might survey
their object, and which might cause their object, and which might cause
it to appear the same to all of them.“it to appear the same to all of them.“
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Relative ranking of David Hume‘s Relative ranking of David Hume‘s instances of judgement:instances of judgement:
Common sentiment of Common sentiment of human naturehuman nature
IV
Standard of TasteStandard of TasteIII
Joint verdict of true criticsJoint verdict of true criticsII
Verdict of posterityVerdict of posterityI
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Relative ranking of David Hume‘s Relative ranking of David Hume‘s instances of judgement:instances of judgement:
Common sentiment of Common sentiment of human naturehuman nature
IV
Standard of TasteStandard of TasteIII
• normative judgements based on experience normative judgements based on experience
and reasoning.and reasoning.
II
Verdict of posterityVerdict of posterityI
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Relative ranking of David Hume‘s Relative ranking of David Hume‘s instances of judgement:instances of judgement:
Common sentiment of Common sentiment of human naturehuman nature
IV
Standard of TasteStandard of TasteIII
Joint verdict of true criticsJoint verdict of true criticsII
Verdict of posterityVerdict of posterityI
16.06.2006 The Century of Taste
Relative ranking of David Hume‘s Relative ranking of David Hume‘s instances of judgement:instances of judgement:
Common sentiment of Common sentiment of human naturehuman nature
IV
Standard of TasteStandard of TasteIII
Joint verdict of true criticsJoint verdict of true criticsII
Durable admiration of works that have survived the Durable admiration of works that have survived the
test of time: test of time: ““all the caprices of mode and fashion.“all the caprices of mode and fashion.“
I
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Relative ranking of David Hume‘s Relative ranking of David Hume‘s instances of judgement:instances of judgement:
[Diagram inferred inter alia from the Introduction in LENZ, John. (ed.) Of the Standard ofTaste and other essays. (1965) and NORTON, David (ed.). The Cambridge Companion toHume. (1993). p. 274 – 277.]
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Edmund BurkeEdmund Burke(1729-1797)(1729-1797)
A philosophical enquiry into the origin A philosophical enquiry into the origin of our ideas of the sublime and of our ideas of the sublime and
beautifulbeautiful(1757)(1757)
Edmund BurkeEdmund Burke(1729-1797)(1729-1797)
A philosophical enquiry into the origin A philosophical enquiry into the origin of our ideas of the sublime and of our ideas of the sublime and
beautifulbeautiful(1757)(1757)
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• Burke in contrast to Francis Hutcheson and David
Hume:
– beauty does not exist in our mind, but in the objects
themselves
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
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Burke's text A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of
our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful: general survey
of passions, properties of things which make objects
either beautiful or sublime and their effect on human
beings
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
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Burke’s main assumption for his inquiry:
“And my point in this enquiry is to find whether there are any principles, on which the imagination is affected, so common to all, so grounded and certain, as to supply the means of reasoning satisfactorily about them. And such principles of Taste, I fancy there are.”
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
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Burke’s main assumption for his inquiry:
“And my point in this enquiry is to find whether there are any principles, on which the imagination is affected, so common to all, so grounded and certain, as to supply the means of reasoning satisfactorily about them. And such principles of Taste, I fancy there are.”
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
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• three kinds of passion:
1. pleasure
2. pain
3. state of indifference/delight
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
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What is meant by sublime?
“Whatever is fitted in any sort to excite the ideas of pain, and
danger, that is to say, whatever is in any sort terrible, or is
conversant with terrible objects, or operates in a manner analogous
to terror, is a source of the sublime. […] When danger or pain press
too nearly, they are incapable of any delight, and are simply terrible;
but at certain distances, and with certain modifications, they may be,
and they are delightful.”
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
16.06.2006 The Century of Taste
What is meant by sublime?
“Whatever is fitted in any sort to excite the ideas of pain, and
danger, that is to say, whatever is in any sort terrible, or is
conversant with terrible objects, or operates in a manner analogous
to terror, is a source of the sublime. […] When danger or pain press
too nearly, they are incapable of any delight, and are simply terrible;
but at certain distances, and with certain modifications, they may
be, and they are delightful.”
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
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Created feelings when confronted with the sublime
“Astonishment, as I have said, is the effect of the
sublime in its highest degree; the inferior effects are
admiration, reverence and respect.“
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
16.06.2006 The Century of Taste
Created feelings when confronted with the sublime
“Astonishment, as I have said, is the effect of the
sublime in its highest degree; the inferior effects are
admiration, reverence and respect.“
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
16.06.2006 The Century of Taste
What is meant by beautiful?
“(…) where women and men, and not only they, but
when other animals give us a sense of joy and
pleasure in beholding them”.
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
16.06.2006 The Century of Taste
What is meant by beautiful?
“(…) where women and men, and not only they, but
when other animals give us a sense of joy and
pleasure in beholding them”.
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
16.06.2006 The Century of Taste
Created feelings when confronted with the
beautiful
“By beauty I mean, that quality or those qualities in
bodies by which they cause love, or some passion
similar to it.”
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
16.06.2006 The Century of Taste
Created feelings when confronted with the
beautiful
“By beauty I mean, that quality or those qualities in
bodies by which they cause love, or some passion
similar to it.”
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
16.06.2006 The Century of Taste
Objects have certain properties which make Objects have certain properties which make them either sublime or beautifulthem either sublime or beautiful
A Philosophical A Philosophical EnquiryEnquiry into the Origin of into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautifulour Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
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• Terror
• Obscurity
• Privations: vacuity, darkness, solitude
• Vastness
• Infinity
Burke, Enquiry, part 2: The sublimeBurke, Enquiry, part 2: The sublime
Which properties of things are sublime?
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Burke, Enquiry, part 2: The sublimeBurke, Enquiry, part 2: The sublime
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Burke, Enquiry, part 2: The sublimeBurke, Enquiry, part 2: The sublime
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• Smallness
• Smoothness
• Gradual Variation
• Delicacy
• Light colours
Burke, Enquiry, part 3: BeautyBurke, Enquiry, part 3: Beauty
Which properties of things are beautiful?
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Burke, Enquiry, part 3: BeautyBurke, Enquiry, part 3: Beauty
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Burke, Enquiry, part 3: BeautyBurke, Enquiry, part 3: Beauty
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Secondary LiteratureSecondary Literature
• Christopher Hussey, The Picturesque. Studies in a Point of View, (London, 1983).
• Denvir, Bernhard, The Eighteenth Century: Art, Design and Society, 1684-1789, (London & New York, 1983).
• Dickie, George, The Century of Taste: The philosophical odyssey of taste in the eighteenth century. (New York, 1996)
• Jones, Robert W., Gender and the Formation of Taste in Eighteenth-Century Britain, (Cambridge, 1998).
• Kivy, Peter (ed.), The Blackwell guide to aesthetics (Malden, 2004).• Kivy, Peter, The seventh sense: Frances Hutcheson and eighteenth
century British aesthetics. (Oxford, 2003).• Norton, David (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Hume. (Cambridge,
1993)• Robert Zimmer, Burke zur Einführung. (Hamburg, 1995).• Sambrook, James, The Eighteenth Century: The intellectual and cultural
context of English literature, 1700-1789, (London & New York, 1986).
The texts treated in our presentation are available as eTexts on the Internet!
The respective links are listed on: www.strietholt.de.ms !
The texts treated in our presentation are available as eTexts on the Internet!
The respective links are listed on: www.strietholt.de.ms !